My Mistress Says
by Lexiconish
Summary: Ahiru serves Lady Rue. She will do anything she is told, though she often makes mistakes, and there is no one she respects more. Other than Lady Rue's brother and her lover... but Ahiru could never hope to catch their eyes. Freedom comes at a price. R
1. Prologue: Incomplete Picture

**My Mistress Says...**

**Author: Black-Raven-Kura:** Just a note to say, my idea is as incomplete as the story on the walls. However, it's forming steadily in my head, and I desperately wanted to write something for Princess Tutu, but all my other stories are a bit sad to look at right now. In any case, this is an AU (alternate universe) Fakiru (Fakir/Ahiru shipping) and Princess Tutu doesn't belong to me. That's the only time I'm going to say this. Please review at the end.

[-]

**Prologue: Incomplete Picture**

[-]

He'd never seen something so heartbreaking. In the past, when he'd investigated ruins, the stories told upon the walls in ancient pictures were usually of glory, or battles won or lost, the occasional love story, and the gods. This was a kind of story he'd never seen before.

A knight, a prince and two princesses. And the writers. That was an addition he'd never seen in a story before.

But then, perhaps the true sorrow of this story was that it had yet to end.

"Professor!" a voice called out, "Professor!" It echoed along the cave tunnels. He turned to face the man who was calling for him, and watched impatiently as the man reached him, dressed in a beige coat, hands on knees and gasping for breath. "We thought we'd lost you, Professor."

'Professor' didn't mind being idolized by these people; in fact, he very much enjoyed it. But he hated to be disturbed when he was investigating a new challenge. "Speak your mind," he snapped, "What do you want?"

His subordinate glanced anxiously at him. "There's someone unauthorized on the site, Professor. We caught her trying to steal one of the artefacts. She claimed to know you." The Professor scowled; whoever it was had a lot to answer for, and what was more, now he was in a rotten mood. Following the worker to where the woman had been apprehended, he was surprised to see that he did, in fact, know her.

"Duck?" he muttered, "Do enlighten me. What are you doing thieving from me?"

Blue eyes blinked, and she peered up at him from beneath long red bangs. "I'm not stealing. It's not yours to begin with, it's mine. You know that."

The Professor snorted. "Hardly yours, if you'll excuse me Duck."

She glared. "Very well, Rue's. Some of it belongs to me; she was kind to me that way, you know that. Even if you were her patron, that doesn't mean you own everything she did. Including me, so please release me."

The Professor sighed, and nodded to his workers to let her go. "Listen, Duck, I'm aware of that fact. What matters is that your time passed a very long time ago, as you know. These things are items of the past, and no matter how much sentimental value they have to you, they are of more value to society. That's why I'm digging them up, not so that you can come running and pinch them from me. Do you understand?"

"Rue sent me."

"I had worked that out," he told her secretively, "Now, you're causing a commotion. Will you please just leave?"

She rose to her feet, and looked about her. "The places we've been change a lot over time. But you've earned your title simply by existing; that's hardly fair. They call you a genius, but you can only report what you've already seen."

He snarled, before hurriedly composing himself. "Is that my fault? People wouldn't believe just words on their own, I have been able to retrieve evidence to back me up. How would I know where these things get to over time? I have earned my title the right way, so do not insult me. Go back to your mistress, and remind her that no matter how the time ticks on, I remain her patron. Besides, you are beginning to sound like a lunatic among these folk, and if you continue I'll have to request they take you to an asylum."

Shooting him one last deadly glare, she bowed 'respectfully'. "Yes Professor. I'm glad you achieved your dream in any case. It's not that you're all bad, I suppose." Without another word, she scurried away from the dig site.

"Stupid girl," the Professor tacked on, turning to his men. "Please, continue. I'll be in there," he pointed to where the paintings were, "if you need me."

'_No, sadder still,'_ he thought, '_is that I know the story too well.'_


	2. Chapter One: Suitable Suitor

**Chapter One: Suitable Suitor**

[-]

"_Tschüs! Ja, ich liebe dich."_ Rue sighed, closing the door on yet another suitor. "They all wish me to say 'I love you' but it never means anything," she told the girl waiting at her side.

"The German man is most persistent," she continued, "But I do not care for him. Ahiru, who do you think I should choose?" she added, passing her coat to her servant; though servant implies that Ahiru was paid, which she was not.

"Of course Mytho-sama, right?" Ahiru said sweetly, "He's the kindest, and gentlest, and then he is most sincere." The red-head hung up the velvet coat, running her fingers along the sleeve. "I like him best too, but it's not my decision to make."

"That's true. Naturally, it's mine, though I must choose soon, and while I have many suitors, Mytho has many more."

"You are fortunate, Rue-sama, that he hasn't as many as your brother," Ahiru teased, hoping the man mentioned was not about to hear her as she followed her mistress into the house.

"Yes," Rue sighed mournfully, "But Mytho cares about his suitors; each one he treats just the same." She glanced through wine-red eyes at her closest companion. "I know Fakir treats his suitors all the same too, but it hardly counts when he hates them all. I worry about him most of all, because he doesn't seem inclined to ever just pick one." Ahiru shifted Rue's favourite chair closer to the fire, and stood by as Rue sank into it. "I have competition on my hands for Mytho, it seems. Ahiru, tomorrow Alfonse will come again; he wants a decision. Turn him away will you? Any excuse will do."

"You won't just tell him no?" Ahiru questioned.

"I'd like to hold on to him as long as possible; if I fail to capture Mytho, then I'll need to marry quickly, or I'll loose everything. If I do that, then you'll be taken back to the school."

Ahiru stiffened slightly. "Rue-sama, please don't rush into a marriage on my behalf – if I go back to the school, I'm sure I could get out like all the others."

Rue didn't speak. She didn't want to be rude. _'Of course, if I could just find a patron, I wouldn't need to marry. The trouble being, all the people who offer to be my patron want me to marry them. So that really defeats the purpose. I wonder what brother intends to do about it.'_ "I won't rush into marriage on anyone's behalf. I want only to marry Mytho, and I will be the one who succeeds. Correct?"

"Yes Rue-sama!" Ahiru said brightly. "Would you like anything to drink? I can prepare some tea or...?"

"No, Ahiru, that's alright. The maids can attend to that." _'I don't want another fiasco like before; you're so clumsy Ahiru-chan,'_ she thought. She adored Ahiru's company, and that was the only reason she was really kept around. Simple tasks often defeated the ditzy red-head. "Why don't you prepare a bath for me instead?"

"Yes Ma'am." Ahiru was being particularly subservient today. Perhaps she really was afraid of being taken back to the school; time for Rue to pay the rent was running out quickly. Usually Ahiru was more like a friend, and more often than not, neglected to tack '-sama' onto the end of Rue's name. However, Rue herself was unworried. True, she was supposed to contribute to paying the rent, but if she couldn't make it, her brother would probably pay it all in secret, and get the money off her in some unnoticed way much later. He was usually very rude and bitter towards her, but Rue was glad he still cared about her.

In any case, the person who drew most of his short temper was poor Ahiru; it was likely one of the many things she hated about living here, but at least it wasn't the school where she was forced to learn tricks to entertain the gentry.

Rue knew what that place was like. She was from there herself. Usually girls were picked out of the crowd by men who wanted to marry them, but her talent for dancing made her 'upper class' and she was free to turn down suitors. Her brother, lost to her at five, had come to save her. She never would have thought to take Ahiru with her, had the girl not been getting punished in the courtyard, in front of everyone that day. It wasn't as though Rue hadn't seen her around before, always making a mess of things, and getting punished. But they had started being quite brutal with her, and so Rue had taken pity on her and requested that she be allowed to take Ahiru out as her maid.

Ahiru wasn't much of a maid. Rue decided to call her a lady-in-waiting instead, which for some reason had Ahiru calling Rue 'princess' sometimes, as a joke. Mostly though, Ahiru was Rue's friend, the only one Rue had ever bothered to make. It didn't pay to have friends in the school (though it wasn't frowned upon either) so Rue had never taken the time.

She was shaken from her thoughts when the doorbell rang and a maid answered the door. The moment Rue heard the masculine voice, she felt disappointment. Another suitor? At least it wasn't Alfonse, the German fellow. She hated having to speak other languages, it hurt her head. Then she recognised the voice more clearly, and her spirits soared.

'_He never calls in on his other suitors!'_ she thought elatedly and swiftly got to her feet. The maid led him into the room, and she felt her breath catch. Aloud, she said, "Mytho-san, what a surprise."

He smiled an awe-inspiring smile. His amber eyes made every expression seem soft upon his face, framed in beautiful white locks. "Rue, you needn't refer to me with that name," he said kindly, "as I have said to you before, just Mytho will do."

Smiling with genuine warmth, Rue approached him. "Won't you sit down? What brings you here?"

"Actually, I'm sorry but I can't stay too long. Of course I'm pleased to see you Rue, but it's actually your brother I came to speak to. Is he here?" Mytho said, wringing a handkerchief in his hands.

"Oh... oh yes, he is. Shall I fetch him?"

"If you would."

Nodding, Rue left the room and made her way upstairs. "Fakir!" she called out, "Mytho-san is here to see you!" From whence would her sour brother emerge? Where else but the library? She rose a thin eyebrow as she saw him, hair dishevelled and eyes connected to the pages of his book.

"So," he said without looking up, "He's finally here to discuss that is he? He's so slack."

Rue's eyes narrowed viciously. "Don't insult him," she spat, "He's a better man than you are in any case."

Usually Fakir would have commented and a nasty argument would have begun and not ended until Ahiru had come and taken Rue's place. However the business Mytho was here with must have been more important than Fakir was letting on, because he simply swept past her and down the stairs to meet with him. Rue gave a great sigh and leant against the wall. She owed Fakir too much; not only had he freed her, but he'd given her a home, status, money and anything she might possibly want. He'd let her bring Ahiru to live with them even though he greatly disliked her and made no secret of his disdain for her lack of co-ordination, and he'd even introduced Rue to Mytho, allowing her to be closer with the man than any other woman was. She was lucky, she knew, and yet she always seemed to fight with her brother.

Ahiru often consolled her on this, saying it was just what siblings do. When she did this, Rue wondered where Ahiru came from. She knew she'd probably never know, but she wondered all the same.

"Rue-sama," Ahiru called at that moment, darting out of the bathroom, "I've drawn a bath for you. It'll go cold if you don't have it now." Rue hesitated; she wanted to be near Mytho, even if she was only sitting and watching, eavesdropping on business she shouldn't. Again, she recognised the patience her brother held, despite his outward behaviour.

"Thanks," she murmured, brushing past her. "I'll have it now. Ahiru-chan? Could you please go and wait in the sitting room with Fakir and Mytho? Fetch them anything they ask you to, and be very attentive. Don't speak to them though; they seem to be quite busy, but I'd like to know what they're talking about."

"Yes Rue," Ahiru replied, stumbling down the stairs. _'There, that's more like her,'_ Rue thought, _'Of course she loves Mytho too. I am sorry for her, but Mytho will be mine and no one else's. I love him most of all.'_

Downstairs, Ahiru stood outside the door, anxious of whether she'd be in trouble for entering. She might be here on Rue's orders, but she was still interrupting them, no matter how you looked at it. She decided upon lightly clearing her throat, a polite gesture to announce yourself subtley that she'd been taught to do in the school, and pushed on the wooden door. She was not surprised to find Fakir's deadly glare already fixed on her, but was delighted to find that Mytho lightly bowed to her as if she were on the same level as Rue.

"Miss Ahiru, isn't it?" Mytho said nicely, "Was there something you needed?"

Ahiru flushed and hurriedly shook her head. In Mytho's presence, she was always a jumble of nerves. "Uh, no, my mistress says I'm to get you anything you might need, and uh... wait here...?"

"Typical," Fakir grumbled, "Spying on us as always. And she would send the loudest maid," he added, eyeing Ahiru with disgust.

"Fakir, you're as rude as ever. I'm in a bit of a hurry, so I don't need anything. Can we please continue, Fakir?"

The dark-haired man agreed, and Ahiru faded into the background, doing her upmost to pay attention to what was said for Rue, but finding she paid more attention to the colour of Mytho's eyes. "In any case, it's getting urgent Fakir. They need you down there; no more delays or they'll withdraw support. We need all the finances we can get right now, it's hard times."

Ahiru blinked, trying to listen again. Fakir tapped the table with long tanned fingers, looking between Ahiru and Mytho. Unnerved by his attention, she turned her head to stare out the window. "I could go, of course... but his conditions are so despicable. There's something altogether sinister about it, and I don't want to accept his financial support."

"But we _need_ it Fakir!" Mytho stressed, "People are dropping out everywhere. There was a time when we could handle this ourselves, but as you know, what with taking Rue in, and then supporting Ahiru..." he trailed off, glancing it her. It was as if she wasn't supposed to know these things. "All I'm saying is neither of us have the money to do this alone anymore. We need your grandfather to be in on this."

Fakir released a frustrated sigh and ran a hand through his hair. "I understand. Look, I'll go and see if I can negotiate some alternative. It will get better, just as soon as she or I marry."

Ahiru's eyes lowered to the floor. No matter what, Rue would never agree to marry someone other than Mytho, she loved him. If she knew that Fakir's finances were in trouble, though, she would most certainly accept Alfonse's proposal tomorrow. Ahiru didn't want that for her mistress. On the other hand, if Rue remained oblivious, it seemed Fakir and Mytho would have to do something drastic; maybe she and Rue would be sent back to the school? Or would Fakir finally agree to marry one of his many, many suitors?

She didn't want to tell Rue what she'd heard for fear that Rue would suffer. She liked Fakir less, but she didn't want to force him into the same situation. _'I know. I'll find Rue a patron. One for the family. It's about time I was actually useful.'_ Mytho was leaving now, and not wanting to be left alone with Fakir, she rushed up the stairs to wait for Rue to come out again.

[-]

"You mean to tell me that they really requested you help them today?" Rue asked in disbelief. A part of her was jealous; she'd love to spend more time with Mytho.

"That's right," Ahiru lied, feeling nervous; what if Rue realised she wasn't being honest?

"That's a bit... odd. Are you sure they didn't want my help instead?"

"Positive; it'll be unladylike work, and they didn't want to trouble you with it," Ahiru kept saying, "I only mean that I didn't want you to get frowned upon by the others, so I begged Fakir-sama to allow it. It took a lot of effort."

'_Ahiru isn't the sort to stop me from being with Mytho... I know that much. But she's clearly lying about a part of this; she's doing that silly little laugh she does when she's been caught out. What I don't understand is why she's lying,'_ Rue mused, watching her friend wobbling before her. "Well alright then," she decided, "you go help out. I'll practice my dancing in peace for a change, it has been a while. But don't forget to have one of the maids turn Alfonse away today; in just the way I told you too, ok?"

"Absolutely Rue," Ahiru assured her, hurrying down the stairs. Freya, one of the maids (who was beautiful enough to be a Lady, Ahiru thought) was passing on the stairs with a pile of linen in her arms. "Freya-san, can you please turn Alfonse away today? The German one. You have to tell him Rue-sama's busy, so she can hold onto him... or something."

Freya nodded curtly. "Yes Ahiru."

Hurrying out the door, Ahiru checked the list she'd compiled from asking all the servants and such about the latest gossip, on who might possibly agree to be Fakir and Rue's patron. "First, Erik Thomas," Ahiru mumbled, wondering where she might find him. _'I'll try the bureau. They can give information, for a price. It'll be all the money Rue's allowed me this year, but it would be worth it.'_ Ahiru stood on the doorstep watching the horses and busy people passing by. The oak trees across the road stretched over her head, and she delighted in the shade.

The bureau Ahiru was seeking was a fair walk from the house, and she might not have reached it until eleven, were it not for the fact that Fakir was harnessing his horse to the carriage. Checking that he was truly not looking, Ahiru slipped into the back, and hoped that she wouldn't be caught; Fakir had a mean temper.

In any case, after a short, and very bumpy ride, Ahiru realised that he was heading for Mytho's house, and was able to see out the window when the bureau was approaching. Quickly, she slammed a fist against the side of the carriage, causing Fakir to stop and check who was inside. While he was getting down to see, Ahiru jumped out the side door and hurried into the building.

"Excuse me," she asked after waiting in line for a few minutes, "I need to find the adress of all the people on this list," she said, setting it on the desk in front of the tubby old man.

"Why?" he demanded.

"I'm arranging a number of meetings for my mistress. She says I am to speak to them all, but I don't know where they live," she half-lied. She'd rehearsed this so much that she didn't even flinch.

"Money," the man grunted and she set all the coins she had on the desk. He took a long time counting them out, but finally he agreed and looked them up for her. Passing her list back with the locations filled in, she prayed he hadn't tricked her and hurried out into the sunlight again. It was half midday and she hoped she would be able to see all the people.

_Possibl Patronz,_ her list read in her poor writing.

_Baron Erik Tomas (Correct spelling: Erik Thomas)_

_Lord Femio Yurope (CS: Femio Yuurope (Like Europe))_

_Lord Peter von Ingel (CS: Peter von Ingle)_

_Sir Alfonse Schmitt (CS: This is the correct spelling.)_

The list continued a while. She'd already crossed off Peter and Alfonse because they were suitors of Rue, and wouldn't agree to patronage without marriage.

"Then Erik is first," she said, and proceeded to the listed adress. When she got lost, she asked a passer by where she might find it, and was told he was out of the country right now. She quickly crossed him off. "In that case, Lord Femio..."

Snickers and shivers erupted around her, and she had only mentioned his name under her breath. Even Ahiru knew this didn't bode well.

[-]

A/N: Hello thar!

Translation of German: _Bye!_ (friendly) _Yes, I love you._

Anyway, thanks for reading if you did. I'll keep this short and sweet :) Please read and review. Intrigued by Lord Femio? Wait till you see what happens next!

Next chapter: _Patronage_


	3. Chapter Two: Patronage

**My Mistress Says...**

[-]

**Chapter Two: Patronage**

[-]

Ahiru gaped at the large estate where Lord Femio was said to reside. The gates swung inwards and she walked with her head doing full 180 degree turns so she could take it all in. Femio must've been rich; had she hit the jackpot with this guy?

She started to look where she was going when a nasty peacock bit her fingers. _'The peacocks are a bit much,'_ she thought vehemently. Femio appeared to live in some kind of dream world, and so she dreaded to think what he would really be like. Hand shaking with nerves, she lifted her tiny fist and rapped it on the door. Withdrawing, she stood back in case the door swung outwards, and waited.

An elderly man with a rather pathetic looking moustache answered the door. He eyed Ahiru curiously, and Ahiru bowed lightly. _'This wouldn't be Femio,'_ she told herself, _'Someone this rich wouldn't answer his own door. This must be a butler.'_ "Good afternoon, sir. I'm here on my mistress's behalf to speak with Lord Femio Yuurope. Would that be at all possible?"

The butler narrowed his eyes and called over his shoulder, "Master Femio! There's a woman here to see you."

Ahiru didn't think a butler would be able to get away with speaking that way, but Femio apparently didn't mind. "A woman~?" Cerulean eyes expanded as the most flamboyant and eccentric man she'd ever seen came into view. "Ah~!" he said, "What my dear lady, is your name~?"

Ahiru winced slightly as he butchered three accents all at once. "A-Ahiru..." she wheezed.

"The lady stammers," Femio whispered, "Please, mademoiselle, do not be intimidated by my beauty~~". Ahiru blinked. Beauty wasn't the word she would have used to describe him; oh he was handsome enough, she could see that, but dressed in ridiculous glittering robes, and his hair was styled as a lady might do, long and smooth and shiny. His eyes were very feminine, she thought, violet and long-lashed. He was lighter-skinned than Fakir, but more tanned by far than Mytho, and his way of speaking and moving was just... too much.

Ahiru quickly concluded that this man was deluded. Probably spoilt too. "O-oh... no, not... intimidated..." she tried to spit out, but Femio abruptly shut her up by swinging about like Rue did in ballet and producing a rose for her as if from nowhere. "Uh, thanks, I'll pass it on to my mistress..."

"Non, non!" he cried out, then bent down so his face was level with her, and lowered his voice in a way she was sure he thought was attractive, "For you, mademoiselle."

"For me?"

"Yes! Come inside fair maiden, we are most, most, most hospitable~! Now what can I be doing for you?" he asked, tugging her over the threshold. The butler closed the door and Ahiru suddenly felt very confined. The inside was bright, decorated in such a way that Femio seemed to be unaware of whether he was English, French, German or Spanish. As flamboyant as he was, and a little overwhelming.

She tried to clear the issue up so she could move on. "Um, I'm here for my mistress, Lady Rue, in hope that you might give her your patronage..."

"Patron~? _Oui_, I am patron to many women~" Femio said, interrupting her again. "I can be your patron."

"Not for me... sir, for my mistress Lady Rue. She has a condition however; she doesn't want to marry her patron." Ahiru released a tiny sigh now that she'd finally managed to say what she wanted to.

"Montand!" Femio called out and the butler returned. Ahiru hadn't even noticed his absence. "Why am I recognising this name, 'Rue'?"

"She is popular at the moment Master Femio. The Lady in Red she is sometimes called. The men are very keen on her," Montand said quickly, "and she is very beautiful."

Femio's arm slunk around Ahiru's shoulders. "This is true?" he asked her.

"Yes My Lord."

"I will be patron."

Ahiru wriggled away and squinted as she heard Femio raving to Montand about how beauty was such a curse, and that women couldn't stand near him for his radiance was too great. "Great," she said loudly, and wasn't sure if her heard, "I'll have my mistress come by tomorrow morning, just to clear things up."

As she crept out into the elaborate garden, she wondered if she would even bother having Rue meet with him. Surely that would only end in mayhem and hilarity?

[-]

'_Rain,'_ he thought, peering out the window. Glasses flashed and he sat at the piano in the corner of the room. _'I wonder if she's alright.'_ He thought about her often, the girl who used to come through the hidden tunnel, crawling on hands and feet into this near empty music room.

Stupidly, perhaps, she always went back again. It had been a year and a half since she last appeared before him, and he made it a point to return to this rundown place at least once a week. He'd never liked her. In fact, she'd driven him to the edge of his sanity with her ceaseless chatter and dumb questions. She'd once asked him what song he was playing, and considering that she ought to have known, he'd said, "If you ask a stupid question, you'll just get a stupid answer." Then the uneducated girl had told him where she came from.

"I can't help it," she snapped, "I come from the school."

That had caught his attention. His fingers had frozen on the keys and he'd looked at her as if she were crazy, which of course, he thought she was. "How did you get out?" he asked at last when his voice returned to him.

"Through there," she'd said, pointing at the little tunnel covered by a poorly crafted wooden door. He'd noticed it before, even investigated, but he'd found it only led to a garden. Seeing his confusion, she'd elaborated. "Or rather, I climbed onto the roof and fell into the bushes in the garden. It's next door to the school, but you can't get through, the fence is all barbed wire and there are big fences outside that with sharp pikes on the top. It was an accident, I thought I was going to die."

If he was honest, that's when it really started. His interest in the past, that is. He'd always liked a good mystery, and history thoroughly fascinated him. But after meeting her that day, he'd begun to wonder what kind of stories might emerge from finding places like that tunnel.

Now he stood, a year and a half later, a student in archaeology. Closing his eyes, he set his fingers to the piano and began to play. His family didn't like it at all. How he'd thrown away his prodigious talent in music for something so foolish. Archaeology was a new science, an unreliable thing only dreamers chase after. He was no dreamer; he was as down-to-earth as they come, and incredibly studious. That was what would make him great; his eye for detail, determination to _know_ all there is to know, and his clever knack for finding it.

All because that dirty, loud girl fell off a roof. Pausing in the middle of Beethoven's _Moonlight Sonata_, he glanced once more at the near-broken little door, and frowned. What had become of his regular visitor?

[-]

'_Just brilliant.'_ Ahiru stood shivering, soaked from head to toe on the doorstep, her best dress dirty with mud and clinging to her thin frame, weighing as much as chainmail, she felt. Sneezing, she knocked on the door, and when no one answered, she let herself in.

"Oh," said Freya, standing by the entrance, "I thought it was Alfonse-sama again..." then she appeared to take in Ahiru's condition, "What have you been _doing_ Ahiru-chan?" she squealed, telling another maid (Malen) to fetch a towel.

Ahiru wasn't feeling well. The only taker she'd had all day was Femio, and she really wasn't sure about him. Nevertheless, she could hardly go out alone again, so he would have to do. Not only that, but she'd had to pass by the school on her way home, and she'd seen through the ghastly prison-like bars, an old friend of her's kneeling in the rain and mud, singing nervously to entertain the gathering of men outside the school. _'I wish I could get you out too, Raetsel,'_ she'd thought, but there was nothing to do about it. Raetsel was such a motherly woman, and had taken the best care of Ahiru when she'd been within the school, trying her hardest to teach Ahiru all the things she was supposed to know.

What was more was that Raetsel had been in love with a man before she was dragged into the school, but he hadn't reciprocated. Ahiru found that impossible to believe; Raetsel was so pretty and nice, she couldn't think why she hadn't been chosen yet.

"Ugh," Ahiru said, brought back to the present, "I was out searching," she sneezed again, mumbled an apology, and continued, "Searching for a patron."

Freya gave her an odd look that seemed to say 'why-on-earth-would-you-do-that-stupid?', but in a kind of affectionate way, and with Malen's help, they did their best to dry her off enough before daring to let her walk on the beautiful carpets. "For Rue-sama?" Freya guessed.

Ahiru nodded, "Yes, and Fakir-sama too... but I forgot to mention that bit..." she trailed off, sighing, "I wish I hadn't listened to them yesterday. Now I'm worried about everyone."

The girls, always keen for gossip, pressed her to divulge what she'd heard, but Ahiru refused. "Fakir-sama would kill us," she yelped, "I haven't even told Rue," she confessed.

"Told me what?"

Malen squeaked like a mouse and half-hid behind Freya as Ahiru guiltily turned to face her friend. "That uh... I lied," she admitted at last, "I didn't go with Mytho-sama and Fakir-sama today... I went out to find you a patron."

Rue blinked in surprise. "Well I knew you'd lied," she said, causing Ahiru to flush hotly, "but whatever did you waste your time on that for? We don't need a patron here. Unless this has something to do with what you overheard yesterday? I notice you've been quite careful not to bring that up. Is there something wrong?" Both annoyed at having secrets kept from her, and at Ahiru's rash decision to act, and concerned for what Ahiru might have heard, Rue was behaving oddly haughty.

"I'm sorry Rue... it's nothing to worry about really, but it kind of had me nervous, and anyway, you were saying yesterday how it would be nice if you didn't have to marry someone other than Mytho, and having a patron would give you plenty of time to win him over... or something," the redhead babbled anxiously, before sneezing extremely loudly.

Stunned into silence, they all heard the library door upstairs slam as Fakir stormed down. Seeing Ahiru, he narrowed hate filled green eyes and snapped, "Do you have to be so noisy?"

"Sorry," Ahiru muttered, not sounding sorry at all, "For disturbing His Highness. Can I get him some medicine to ease the pain?" she added sarcastically.

Rue gave a great sigh. _'Here we go again...'_

"How dare you speak to me like that, you ungrateful creature!" Fakir snarled, and Ahiru mocked his features, repeating his sentences as he insulted her time and time again. "Moron!"

"Jerk!"

"Klutz!"

"Coward!"

'_Ouch Ahiru!'_ Rue thought, seeing that one hit a nerve.

"Detestable eye-sore!"

"Loathesome bug!"

"Ugly duckling!"

'_Uh-oh,'_ Rue thought, knowing this was Ahiru's weak spot.

"Why you-!"

"Enough!" Rue shouted at both of them. "Your little fights are enough to give anyone a migraine. Malen, go get me some medicine. Freya, back to your duties. And for goodness' sake Ahiru, go clean yourself up. And when you've done that, you'll come sit by the fire with me and tell me what you've done today."

"Yes Rue-sama," said Malen and Freya.

"Sorry Rue," said Ahiru, ashamedly darting up the stairs. Fakir just released an irritated sigh and watched his sister massaging her temples.

"Why do you keep her around?" he demanded.

"I like her," she growled defensively, "you could at least make an effort to befriend her too. She's nice, you know. She took it upon herself today to start seeking a patron for me, probably for you as well. I don't know what you said to Mytho yesterday, but it has her quite upset."

'_She doesn't know? Huh. Can't think why Ahiru wouldn't have told her... that is why she was there. Still...'_ "Naturally she's upset," he replied calmly, "She's worried she'll be taken back to that school. Well I don't like her at all, but I suppose I won't let that happen, at least. Tell her to calm down. She's making a bigger mess of things than usual."

Rue was surprised; this almost counted as concern fromher brother, a rarity indeed. Over her own maid? She actually smiled warmly at him. "Thank you. I'll tell her."

[-]

Ahiru sat in the bath, water heating up her body as she stared blankly at the wall opposite her. "Now I come to think on it... actually, I wonder what happened to him." Having seen Raetsel at the school earlier, she'd come to be thinking about her time at the school. She remembered going into the bell tower in the school's church, and finding that side door that led up onto the roof. She remembered losing her grip and falling, and then finding that peaceful garden and that tunnel, and finally the empty music room.

There was the boy she always found there, after her first few visits. He never told her his name, and she'd lied about her's; well, half-lied. She'd said her name was 'Duck'. She wasn't sure he believed her, but he'd not been terribly nice so she'd never felt guilty. In all that time, the thought had never occured to her that she could possibly break out of the school. She had too many friends there, and the boy in the music room might tell on her, or not let her go. Anything could have gone wrong, and even if she'd broken free, where would she have gone?

Always she went back. Then Rue and Fakir set her free, and she'd never thought about the boy again. _'Wonder what he does now... wonder if he remembers me.'_ Groaning, she sank lower into the water and pushed the thoughts away. _'I don't want to think about that place. What matters now is getting Rue her patron... even if it is Lord Femio.'_

[-]

"Nope," the elderly woman said, chewing on a wad of gum. "Ain't got no red-heads here no more," she went on.

He grimaced in revulsion at her appalling use of the English language, but chose to ignore it. "No one? She was a junior, the last I saw her. Blue eyes. Do you know where she went? Loud, clumsy, that sort of thing."

The lady snorted, long yellow nails tapping incessantly on the wooden desk. "Tch, can't never forget _her_. Why you'd wan' her is a myst'ry to me, but anyhow... think an upper class girl took her with her. Man that took 'em... Lord Fakir? Somfin' like that anyhow. S'all I got."

'_With pleasure,'_ he thought, swiftly leaving. _'And you're incorrect. Fakir is no _lord_ at all. But I know just who you're talking about.'_ A smug smirk spread across his face. "Oh ho," he murmured, making his way to his dormitory at the Academy, "_That_ is an interesting development."

To think, he'd only looked her up on a whim, when he came out with this delightful information.

One almost expected evil laughter.

[-]

A/N: Ah, that was fun. I'm listening to Tchaikovsky right now, which made it a lot easier to write somehow. I rather like Femio.

I'm pretty sure most of you can guess who the 'mysterious man' is. But, please, do tell me what you think. Read and Review, always the same.

I'll update again soon, don't worry.

Next Chapter: _Reunion, Old Friend_


	4. Chapter Three: Dilemma

**My Mistress Says...**

[-]

**Chapter Three: Dilemma**

[-]

Rue's face was frozen in horror. It was a peculiar mixture between a pained grimace, surprise and terror. Ahiru was shuffling nervously before her, fiddling with the hem of her shirt. "... it's not so bad," she finally said, shattering the silence.

Rue's expression morphed disturbingly, unsure which emotion to settle on, before she snapped and glared at her friend. "Lord _Femio_! Of all people? Have you not heard the rumours about him Ahiru-chan? I know I need a patron, but really... Lord _Femio_?"

Ahiru sighed. "I don't need to hear the rumours, I've met him in person. It's fine, really. He's exceptional, I'll admit, very... odd. It can be a little overwhelming, but he seems pleasant enough. I said you'd meet him tomorrow morning."

"Oh Ahiru... I know you're worried about me but... oh, that reminds me. Fakir said to ask you to calm down; your place here is assured, he said he wouldn't allow you to be sent back to the school."

Ahiru drew in a sharp breath. "Fakir-sama said that?"

Rue smirked, "It seems as much as he dislikes you, he can't hate you after all this time. I'll meet with Femio-san, however I cannot guarantee I will be pleased. You understand that, don't you?"

'_Honestly,'_ the redhead thought, _'I think she'll be in too much shock to make any kind of rational decision. I suppose I really did fail.'_

The door swung open, and Fakir strode into the sitting room, glancing briefly at Ahiru before switching his attention to Rue. His customary scowl marred what Ahiru might otherwise have considered handsome... well, no; if she was honest he looked just as good scowling. "Something has come up," he said shortly, neither beating about the bush or giving enough information, "I have to go out, and I'll probably be back late. Don't bother having dinner cooked for me." Without another word, he slipped back outside, leaving the two girls completely dissatisfied.

"Oh, that man," Rue spat distastefully, "how infuriating he can be."

"Do you want me to follow him?" Ahiru asked sweetly, the thought not occurring to her that this was a rude thing to do.

Rue laughed, "No, no need. Besides, I couldn't have you wandering about alone at night; it isn't safe for a young woman. You must get some sleep; we'll both need to be fresh for the morning, won't we?"

Ahiru grimaced. "Yes Rue..."

Rising to her feet, Ahiru diligently went about her last minute duties, sniffling every now and again from her newfound cough.

[-]

_The Lohengrin Siegfried Academy Of Fine Arts And Sciences_

Fakir glanced up at the fancy sounding name of the academy, and snorted, knowing many students had separated it into two sections; one, Kinkan Academy, the half that focused on 'fine arts', and the second maintained the original title, those who studied various sciences. Fakir had never really envisioned becoming the founder of an Academy, alongside Mytho, but here he was nevertheless. He'd never _really_ been able to refuse his friend, and when Mytho suggested it, he'd grudgingly agreed and found the job oddly to his liking.

What had summoned him here tonight was a difficult matter; not only the issue of finances, ongoing as always but getting steadily worse, but a student of the science division had somehow managed to explode the chemistry lab. Fakir winced; he didn't have the money for repairs, and there would be no looking to Mytho for money; his family were missing, so he didn't even know how much he had. In the end, it appeared Fakir would have to see to his grandfather after all.

The student who'd done the deed had done it well; they still hadn't caught him. _'How am I supposed to handle this?'_ he thought, frowning. _'It's lucky no one was killed, apparently it was quite violent. The fire department managed to deal with things quickly, at least... but these expenses, on top of Rue and that stupid maidservant of hers... I can't afford all this. We may have to close down the Academy. I'll find a new job. Mytho will too. Either that, or we have to find a new school for all the chemistry students.'_ Ahiru wouldn't understand, but it was no wonder he was always scowling.

Massaging his temples, he approached Mytho with a grimace. "How much?" he asked bluntly.

Mytho gave him sympathetic look. "Too much. We'll never afford it. What do you want to do? It isn't as if we don't have options."

"Yes," Fakir bit out, "But I know what option you think we should take. I refuse to speak to him." He raised his gaze to take in the wreckage of the lab. "I didn't realise he would take it this far... but this is clearly his doing."

Mytho snorted. "Oh come on Fakir, you don't think your grandfather is that desperate? This is more likely the doing of some reckless student. He probably didn't consider the consequences."

The dark-haired man turned his back on the school and said quite seriously, "I am sure this was him. It makes me all that much more determined to refuse him; as I say, I didn't like his conditions to begin with, but it seems all the more sinister if he's willing to do this much. He might have killed someone."

Amber eyes blinked, and Mytho calmly brushed ash from his otherwise immaculate suit. "Your grandfather is not a murderer. He is your family. Please take the time to speak with him; you are being ridiculous." So saying, Mytho swept from the scene, calling over his shoulder, "Do give my regards to your sister."

If Fakir was not so aggravated, and concerned with other matters, he might have questioned his friend further on his interest in Rue, but he wouldn't push it. The relationship they shared didn't bother him, if it were a relationship at all, so long as it didn't do anyone any harm.

As it was, he passed no comment, and shielding his eyes as best he could to keep ash out of them, he pressed deeper into the wreckage. His other hand covered his mouth and nose the moment the putrid smell invaded his nostrils. "Ugh," he grunted, and decided it would be better to follow Mytho's advice, for the time being at least. _'Of course, on top of that... we will need to find accommodation for all the students who board here until it's been cleaned up thoroughly. It's too dangerous for them to stay... that will cost a fortune too, though I suppose we can take it from their fees... that still takes a huge chunk out of our budget. Then I must see to finding some extra work, just so I can continue keeping Ahiru and Rue at home...'_ He glanced after his white-haired friend. _'If I was sure Mytho wouldn't try anything with Rue, I might allow her to board with him for a time... she certainly wouldn't mind.'_ Fakir didn't really think Mytho was the type, but you couldn't be too sure, and he hadn't been a sibling since he was seven, so it was new to him. _'As for the maid... God, what to do with her? She costs more than you'd think to keep. Maybe I could speak to her about it... doesn't she have any friends she could board with...?'_ Of course, then he recalled she was from the school, and he had to ponder it all over again.

[-]

Ahiru rubbed her eyes wearily. It was well past midnight and Fakir still wasn't home. Rue had requested Ahiru stay up and wait for him, just to be sure he came home safely, but only so long as she didn't have to stay up too late. Ahiru, who was never the type to do things half-way, was awake even so, and though she hated to admit it, a little anxious about her mistress's brother herself.

Rue had only suggested it because she thought it was a nice thing to do for the brother who had helped her so much. She did feel like she hadn't been too grateful, and besides that he looked like it was something really quite awful this time. She wanted to stay up herself, but if she were going to see Lord Femio the following morning, she'd have to sleep.

But at two in the morning, when she woke at the sound of a crash in the kitchen, she realised Ahiru _would_ have decided to stay up the entire night, and grimaced, pulling on a dressing-gown and gliding down the stairs to find her friend kneeling on the floor, a chair toppled over beside her. "I fell asleep," she confessed, seeing Rue, "Sorry."

"I did tell you to get to sleep if he wasn't home soon," Rue scolded, "Now you'll be tired tomorrow, and from what I hear about Femio-san, you'll need all the energy you can muster. Come on, to bed with you."

Ahiru sighed, sitting up slowly and praying she wouldn't stupidly smash her head against the table as well. "Well I know but Fakir-sama hasn't come back yet, and I'm just a little bit concerned, that's all."

Rue gave her an agreeing smile. "There's nothing we can do about it. We're here because of his hospitality, the least we can do is leave him to carry out his business in peace." Helping her to her feet, Rue was about to lead her to her bedroom when the sound of the door opening and closing stopped her. Fakir stumbled blearily into the kitchen, wiping soot from his face. "Brother!" she exclaimed, using the name for perhaps the first time since she was told he was so, "What have you been doing?"

He blinked at the pair as if he wasn't sure they existed and sighed. "Since you're both still awake for whatever reason, you may as well sit down and listen to what I have to say." Seeing that they obeyed, he remained in the doorway and began. "Money hasn't been too good lately; this can probably be attributed to my not knowing how to handle money when there's another person living with me, so I apologize. In any case, there's something that's happened down at the Academy tonight and it isn't going to be cheap to fix it." Pausing, he surveyed both woman, who exchanged a confused look. "I've decided that I will send you to live with Mytho, temporarily. I haven't spoken to him yet, and I'm not pleased with the idea, considering how improper it is for an unmarried man and woman to live together, but it is the best option I have."

"Both of us?" Rue pressed, a little thrilled to be living with Mytho.

"I... can't. Mytho is little better off than I am, he could only afford one of you, it might as well be my sister. Ahiru will have to find lodgings of her own."

Horror filled the red-head's eyes. "But... I haven't got anywhere to go..."

"I am sorry," he said, honesty leaking from every syallable, "I'll see what I can do to help you, maybe there's someone else, but it's not likely. I don't know what I can do for you." Seeing tears well up in both their eyes, he repeated, "I'm really sorry."

[-]

The pianist stood outside the gates, disdain for the situation decorating his features. He was surrounded by the other students of science, whose dormitory had been close by the explosion. Everyone was to be evacuated, but he was among the first. "Next," the head teacher called out from the front of the line, and he stepped forward. "Ah," he said with his irritating lisp, "division?"

"Archeology," he said smoothly, "But I won't require you to find me lodgings, I have my own. I'd like you to send my belongings to this address." He slid a piece of paper with his name and details onto the desk.

"That's fine," said Neko-sensei, "You're not the only one who has chosen to do so. If you move over there, there's a taxi waiting for two others. Next!"

He approached the taxi with even more disdain; he was used to, and liked, being alone. Now he was to share this vehicle with three other students. He peered back at the line of students. It was light now, and Master Mytho, one of the Academy's founders and presidents was surveying the evacuation. The destroyed laboratory had been sealed up as well as could be done when it was still dark, and student's had begun evacuating at about five am. "Mytho!" a voice called out and his attention was drawn to the young man, face still blackened with ash from the previous night, darting towards the white-haired president. "I need a favour."

"What is it Fakir?"

"A few things..." the two moved away from the group, and curiousity getting the better of him, he followed them quietly. "... I can't afford it, I was wondering if you could have her board with you for a while?"

Mytho, for whatever reason, seemed delighted at this prospect. "I wouldn't mind at all. I can see you're hesitant, but you needn't worry. You know you can trust me."

Fakir smirked a little. "I shouldn't say, but it's more her that I don't trust. Besides, you've enough suitors knocking at your door, to have her's added to the list is too much."

Mytho laughed. "And what do you intend to do with her maid?"

Fakir grew solemn. "I may have to send her back to the school. She's terrified... it's the oddest thing, but I actually feel sorry for her."

"My," Mytho said in a way you knew was joking, but sounded so serious, "developing empathy, I do hope you're alright. I'd offer to have her board with me as well, but I suppose it can't really be done. You could always take her back once you've spoken to your grandfather though, right?"

"I suppose so. No one would be in any hurry to choose her, that's if she was ever put on display. I'm more worried that she won't be taken back; it's been well over a year, they may refuse and she'll have to make her own way." He looked uncomfortable. "I don't hate her after all. It wouldn't be right, and in any case, Rue absolutely adores her." Both men stood in silence, disturbed by what might happen to this maid. Finally, Fakir spoke again.

"The other favour I need is this; would you be able to drive Rue to Lord Femio's estate today? She's an offer of patronage from him that she wants to see to; if she can get it, we may not have to worry about Ahiru. I'd drive her out myself, but I guess I really do need to speak with my grandfather, after all." Mytho nodded, and then added that he rarely heard Fakir call the maid by name. "She has one, and I can hardly just call her 'Rue's maid' all the time, can I?"

This was all the information the man needed. He knew Fakir, better than most students could ever dream of, and he knew that Fakir was the man with the red-haired girl and an upper-class girl. Fakir's sister needed patronage, apparently, so why shouldn't he offer it as well? He was sure the girl in question would think twice about accepting Lord Femio's money.

There wasn't a problem. He could find the red-head, though that was no longer his greatest concern, and reunite on a personal level with dear, ignorant Fakir.

He smiled, and quickly returned to the taxi. Only one of the two remaining students had joined them, and it was another hour before a fourth joined the group and they were able to set out.

[-]

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you Rue?" Ahiru asked, "It – he – is quite overwhelming, and anyway it isn't safe for a young woman to go over there alone no matter how you look at it and I just want to help out even though I probably can't stay much longer and—"

"Ahiru!" Rue stopped her never-ending babble. "Honestly would you cease the drama? I'm aware of Femio-san's reputation, and yes, I know that I am probably unprepared for what I am about to encounter. I know you want to help me, but I thought you might appreciate a day off for the purposes of seeking more suitable lodging."

Ahiru chewed her lip. "I... of course I appreciate it, but as long as I'm here I'm meant to help you..." she paused, "Um, how are you getting there anyway? Fakir-sama took the carriage."

Rue shrugged. "I expect he'll be back before long." A knock on the door startled them both and Rue said sweetly, "I guess that's him now." She opened the door, ignoring the fact that Fakir would hardly have bothered to knock, and drew in a sharp breath when she saw Mytho standing in the doorway.

"Rue," he greeted her, "Fakir sent me to collect you. I'm taking you to see Lord Femio – Fakir will be going out of town, to see his grandfather, so he asked if I could do him to favour."

While Rue was gathering her wits, Ahiru politely bowed to the handsome man and he graced her with a smile. "Ahiru, how are you?"

"Very well thankyou sir," she replied and nudged her mistress. "Thankyou for taking Rue; it pleases me to know she won't be alone." Rue sent her maid a delighted grin, a bit like a love-struck schoolgirl, and followed Mytho out of the house.

Once they had gone, Ahiru gently shut the door, and against the rules Fakir had set down, sank into Rue's favourite place by the fire in the sitting room. _'What should I do? Where am _I_ going to find somewhere to stay?'_ As she pondered this, she didn't notice when the door opened, and a tall figure entered the sitting room until said figure had cleared his throat quite loudly. "Ah!" she yelped, shooting to her feet and trying to pretend she hadn't been breaking a rule. "F-fakir-sama! I-I-I wasn't... sorry," she finished lamely, giving up on lying.

"Hm," he said, taking the seat instead. "Rue's gone? I thought she'd take you with her."

"W-well... she would have, only she thought I'd like the time to look for somewhere to stay. I don't suppose you can think of anywhere I could stay?"

He shook his head. "You don't have any money, thanks to that stupid trick with the patron... so you couldn't afford a hotel. I might think to pay for it for you, only that would defeat the purpose of your leaving. So it's up to you to find somewhere, really, unless you can miraculously improve your abilities as a maid, in which case you might be able to get hired elsewhere, with some kind of recommendation from me."

Ahiru's gaze was downcast. "Thankyou for the thought," she mumbled, "Did you want any tea?"

"No," he answered studying her intently, not that she would notice, "I'll be leaving soon anyway." He grimaced, thinking of the man he was to meet with today. "I won't be home tonight either; I'll stay on my grandfather's estate. About lunch tomorrow I'll return, so if you would prepare lunch for me, I'd appreciate it."

Without thinking (because she was currently speaking so calmly with her Master, and had never done so before) she blurted out, "Why don't you like your grandfather?" Eyes widening, she clapped her hands over her mouth and lifted her head to meet his gaze. He looked kind of surprised. "Sorry."

"It's... fine." He watched her for a moment, and then turned his gaze to the fire. "You might want to stoke that fire. And I think I might take that tea after all... no, actually, something stronger. Whiskey, perhaps, if we've any left." He would need the strength. She nodded and bowed neatly before heading towards the kitchen. When she returned on shaky legs, a glass in one hand and a bottle of whiskey in another, praying she wouldn't drop them, he stood to meet her and took them from her, pouring a glass and offering her one. She declined, saying it was out of place and she wasn't fond of it anyway. "As for my grandfather," he said after a time, "He's merely not an easy man to like."

She looked up, as if surprised he'd bothered to answer. He had to stifle laughter at the expression on her face, and leaned back in the chair, sipping the whiskey appreciatively. "I suppose I could grow to like him, if I wasn't always so suspicious that he has an ulterior motive. Men like him aren't the sort to be trusted, and you learn from experience. Even if he apologises to you for anything he might do, you can tell it isn't sincere. He's the type the follows all the airs and graces of high class society, but who does it for show, he doesn't mean it, he thinks it's entertaining. Too strange, too twisted to understand, we've just always been at odds and that's that."

She knelt on the floor at his feet as if it were the most natural thing. She looked comfortable, and attentive, and he couldn't think that she would possibly be either. "Have you ever tried to understand him?"

"I reserved my judgement of him for too long, actually. I waited until he'd done something truly terrible, so there you have it, and I won't ever be able to forgive him for it."

Fakir was growing uneasy, and a little drowsy; he really should have left by now, but she was listening to him like he was imparting all his knowledge, hanging off every word, and then he was quite comfortable... still, this wasn't the type of information he disclosed, not even to Rue, so there was no sense telling this irritating maid. He'd come quite close to telling her things he'd never told anyone else before, and he didn't like it; he spoke with this maid more than any other in just the year and a half she'd been here. This he had always blamed on the fact she was Rue's personal friend, and so got involved with everything, but he realised at least on a subconscious level that he found her interesting and beneath the surface, likable. He eyed her now warily, as if she were a witch; unlikely, he told himself, and shook his head. "Perhaps I should go. I'll fall asleep at this rate and Mytho won't forgive it. I expect you have things to do yourself, so I'll be off," he said at last, passing her the half-empty glass and getting to his feet.

At the door, he pulled his coat back on, fixing the collar, and was about to be out the door when the loud pattering of feet stumbled along behind him with a cry of, "Fakir-sama, wait!"

He stopped, fingers on the doorknob, and turned as Ahiru came darting into the entrance hall, his top hat in her hands. "You were complaining the other day that you'd misplaced this, and I found it this morning when I was cleaning the stable." She wrinkled her nose; cleaning the stables was not a pleasant task. "Here," she added, pushing it towards him. A bit surprised, he took it from her, and without thinking, muttered a 'thankyou', before heading out into the cool morning air.

Reaching the carriage, and beginning to climb in, he berated himself for the slip of the tongue. He _never_ thanked the servants (even, he reminded himself, the one that wasn't a proper servant since she wasn't actually paid) and she'd be sure to pick up on it; she had an annoying ability to be perceptive only when you didn't want her to be. Scowling as usual, he smacked the reins against the horses back a little harder than he intended, and the carriage pulled forwards, out into the busy streets.

[-]

Ahiru stood in the entrance hall, a happy smile on her face. _'Fakir thanked me; he never says thankyou to anyone, so far as I've heard. Maybe Rue and Mytho... but not me!'_ She was glad to think she might have earned gratitude from the cold-hearted man, because as has been mentioned, he really never thanked people. It made her feel like she'd accomplished something, and maybe, _maybe_ cleaning the stables hadn't been quite _so_ horrible after all.

The smile was quickly wiped from her face. While speaking with Fakir about his grandfather, she'd almost forgotten her own problems; that is, where was she going to go when Fakir couldn't afford to keep her? When she thought of it as having cost him money up until now, she realised how generous he'd actually been to her; there was no need for him to collect his own sister, let alone bring a ratty, clumsy little junior of the school along too.

Sighing, she proceeded to fetch the whiskey and half-empty glass, and took them to the kitchen. She placed the bottle back in the pantry, and then took the glass to the sink. Tentatively, she sniffed the liquid, and more cautiously still, she took the tiniest sip of the foul stuff. She coughed and spluttered, and decided it would have to be wasted. She was about to pour it down the sink when another maid (Ahiru didn't know her name, she was the kind of girl who would have been upper class in the school, and therefore she tended to snob Ahiru) swept into the room and took it right from her outstretched hand, draining it in one go and handing it back to her as if _she_ were the lady of the house. "You don't," she said very clearly, "waste things that Fakir-sama has touched."

As she left, Ahiru narrowed her eyes. From now on, she made a mental note to think of that girl as 'Stalker-maid' and went about washing the glass in the cold soapy water. Usually Ebine dealt with this, but obviously, Ebine was busy. Everyone was, trying to find themselves a new place, and most of them would easily succeed in getting a job elsewhere, because they had the skills. Ebine was a magnificent cook, so she wouldn't have too many problems. Freya, who worked partly as a maid here, and partly as a gardener, took supremely good care of flowers, and Hermia was a good nurse. Everyone here would manage perfectly well, all except Ahiru because she wasn't any good at anything.

Groaning, she dried the glass and put it back in the cabinet, leaving the scullery and fiddling with the hem of her apron. "Maybe I could... no, that wouldn't work. If I knew someone... who could take me in... but there isn't anyone, there never has been, only the girls at the school and they're trapped, and Rue and Fakir of course..." she muttered, stolling aimlessly through the halls until she reached her room. It was actually the guest room, and she only slept there because Rue insisted that she wasn't _really_ a servant, so she couldn't justifiably sleep in the servant's quarters. Even so, if they had a guest (a rare event because Fakir wasn't exactly a social butterfly) then Ahiru was expected to pack up and vacate, and in the servant's quarters she would sleep. Therefore, Ahiru made certain not to have many belongings, and she kept them all in a neat little corner of the room for easy transport.

'_Easy transport...'_ she thought, and it is because of this fact (so really, Fakir can only blame himself) that Ahiru thought of her brilliant idea. It _was_ a brilliant idea, in her mind at least, and she was surprised that she hadn't thought of it sooner, with it being so brilliant and all that.

'_I know just what to do now!'_ she thought, scooping up her things quickly, _'I'll run away.'_

[-]

A/N: ... I know I said that I would call this chapter 'Reunion, Old Friend', but it changed because by the time I actually got up to writing the 'reunion', the chapter was, in my mind, too long. So I chopped it off and called this one something else; I also don't know what to call the next chapter, because I haven't thought that far ahead this time, so you'll just have to make do and I'm sorry. But it probably won't be called 'Reunion, Old Friend'. Anyway, that said, please leave a little review. It was only a wittle bit of Fakir/Ahiru interaction there but it was SOMETHING and you shall see more... on condition you review. I can't starve you of fluff as long as you think I can, so there you go.

Thanks muchly and kind regards,  
Kura.


	5. Chapter Four: Troublesome Moron

[-]

**My Mistress Says...**

[-]

**Chapter Four: Troublesome Moron**

[-]

Rue slipped out of the mansion, her face pale and legs shaking, feeling utterly 'overwhelmed' (as Ahiru had put it) and more than a little confused as to what precisely had just happened. "Uhm..." she said, glancing at Mytho, who didn't look pale, whose legs were completely fine, and who was grinning like he'd just had the most wonderful time of his life.

"Yes?" he said, turning to her with that same smile spread stupidly across his face.

"Do you know... I'm not sure if I've made him my patron or not. I don't suppose you worked it out?" she said carefully, peering fearfully over her shoulder at the bright 'funhouse' type mansion. _'God Ahiru, you were right. I was very unprepared.'_

Mytho shrugged. "You said neither yes or no, and actually I'm quite sure the subject never even came up. Lovely man, isn't he? I liked him." He helped Rue into his carriage and smiled charmingly, so that Rue temporarily forgot about her ordeal with Lord Femio and had to focus on getting the butterflies in her stomach to settle.

"I... couldn't really say. He's so very peculiar and... well, so colourful that it's difficult to have _any_ opinion of him, good or bad. I think that I don't _hate_ him, but whether I like him or not..." she winced, trying to sort it all out, "I can't work it out."

Mytho sat comfortably beside her and still grinning like a loon replied, "He is an unsolved puzzle; one that can't be solved, I expect. An enigma... a phenomenon. He was delightful!"

And since he had such a high opinion of the man, Rue found herself forced to agree; once well away from him and his never-ending supply of flowers, the blinding colours and constant misuse of language, and the naïve view of the world he had... even the vanity he seemed unaware of, then it was possible to say that yes, she did rather like him.

In a kind of 'I'm-so-very-confused-please-can-I-go-now?' kind of way. As to whether she should allow him to be her patron, she wasn't yet sure. Remembering the financial problem, she realised that she really didn't have a choice... but it would be quite nice if she might find a patron who would support Fakir as well as her.

_Extremely_ unlikely.

Sighing woefully, she turned away from Mytho and watched the city roll on by. How she had missed the bold mansion in all the time she'd lived in Gold Crown, she couldn't be sure, but she wouldn't forget it in a hurry, that was for certain. "Tell me Mytho," she said, breaking the silence, "Did I invite Femio-san to my house for afternoon tea? I seem to recall saying such however..." _'I'm desperately praying the words never left my mouth...'_

"You did," he replied, still not fazed by the unusual character of her future patron, and apparently able to logically and chronologically remember all that transpired in the 'meeting'. Rue had trouble calling it a meeting, for her own recollection of the event really only consisted of a brightly dressed man darting around, falling on the floor and striking poses, praising her beauty endlessly, and his own even more so (in such a way that he sounded ashamed, but... proud to be ashamed...) and producing roses every few minutes, as if from thin air.

A meeting? No, not a meeting. It was more like a carnival.

"Oh." There wasn't anything more she felt she could politely add to that, so she decided to steer her thoughts clear of the 'enigma' and try and persuade Mytho that the only 'suitor' he needed was her. She generally reverted to this when she ran out of pleasantries to discuss, but damn the man was dim as he never seemed quite able to grasp how affectionate she was towards him.

This was not just Rue either; Fakir had once told her that Mytho had asked him whether Rue had selected a suitor yet, and if so when was the wedding? She had run up to her room and refused to emerge until Ahiru had broken the doorknob with all her efforts to come in, and Fakir had to break the door down.

Needless to say, Ahiru had been in big trouble. Rue bailed her out. Still, it always seemed that he was unaware that she was actually among his own suitors; funny old world, isn't it? Considering Rue didn't know about a few of her suitors... but that doesn't matter, let's get back to Rue's shameless flirting.

... Not shameless, really, because Rue had a lot of pride, and she really loved Mytho, he wasn't just _anybody_.

"So... if I can invite Femio-san to afternoon tea, is it possible to invite you to lunch tomorrow, Mytho?" she began, blushing. Oh how forward!

He chuckled. "Femio-san will be speaking to you on business, and though I'd much like to come and dine with you, Rue, one I am not sure Fakir would approve..."

Well at least that showed he'd recognised the offer of a 'date' when he saw it.

"... and second, I have a lot of cleaning up to do. I'm not sure that Fakir told you the details of what occurred last night, but it was... expensive, to say the least. I'm sure it will be in all the papers soon enough."

Rue pouted alluringly (she didn't realise it was alluring, but a few men they passed stopped and gazed after her dreamily) and said, "Fakir never tells me anything about business. I have to eavesdrop, and just now when something alarming seems to have happened, Ahiru is keeping what she heard from me. I suppose I could order her to tell me, but she would be a bit offended, and I've never seen her as a servant. I suspect I already know the gist of it anyway; you and my brother are struggling financially, correct?" She paused. "No, Fakir prefers it seems to keep business out of the house, which is likely why he is so rarely home."

Mytho smiled lightly. "He does his best, doesn't he? It must have been a shock to find you had a brother, when he came to collect you from the school."

"I still find it hard to believe. I've accepted it certainly, and am so very grateful to him that I like to call him brother anyway, but it is quite... difficult to grasp. Whether I or Ahiru are more at a loss, I can never be sure."

They rode on in silence for a time, and Mytho didn't shift when she boldly slid closer to him on the seat. At last Mytho said, "As for what occurred last night well... a pig-headed student, at least we suspect it is a student, blew up our chemistry laboratory. No one was killed, by some miracle, and we've received no threats that we'll be sued... but we've had to accommodate students elsewhere, and the repairs will cost a fortune. Fakir says it was his... I suppose, _your_, grandfather did it, but I sincerely don't believe it. In any case that's where he went today, to see if we can get some financial support from him."

Rue stared at him, wide-eyed, which Mytho actually found quite attractive, because he could really see her scarlet irises when she did so. Swallowing, he laughed a little just to hide it, and turned back to look out the front. "Exploded...?" she whispered in something like awe, "No wonder we need to move out."

"Oh, about that," Mytho said daring to look at her again. She had composed himself, but he felt no more at ease and wondered if now was a good time to say this, "I've agreed to allow you to stay with me, on Fakir's request. I'm sorry I can't take Ahiru too."

Rue only smiled warmly, "You are so kind Mytho... and I thank you. But Ahiru had the day off today and I am _sure_ she will find accommodation. People just always like her; she doesn't have any enemies, other than Fakir," she added, giggling, "and even then, I could swear he fancies her sometimes."

It was Mytho's turn to be surprised. "Fakir! Really?"

Rue ceased and shrugged noncommittally. "Well it's all speculation on my part, but he isn't as horrible to her as it looks. Deep down, I think he at least _likes_ her a little."

[-]

He shuddered, pulling the horses to a stop outside his old home. "God," he said, "I can't believe I've actually come out here."

Climbing out, he allowed an oddly dressed (truly, much more odd than Lord Femio) servant lead them away, wandering as slowly as he could to the front door. He didn't even bother knocking; his grandfather was creepy in that he would know when Fakir arrived, and this was proved when the door opened, as if by no one and Fakir walked in.

At least his grandfather had a theme here; unlike Femio's bizarre and elaborate 'funhouse', his grandfather had decorated (just as elaborately) with clocks in mind. Cogs and ticking could be heard all throughout the mansion, and it was, Fakir had always thought, maddening. Perhaps this explained his grandfather's nature; though it was his own fault the ticking happened anyway.

"Fakir," a deep gravelly voice boomed and from the shadows at the end of the hall, unseen until this moment, a man who once again rivalled Lord Femio's fashion-sense emerged. "A pleasure to see you again."

"I wish I could say the same," Fakir said quite clearly, "Drosselmeyer."

Wild red-orange eyes glittered delightfully and Drosselmeyer stepped forward as if to embrace Fakir, though he wisely made no real attempt to do so, and continuing his loving charade said, "Fakir, you wound me. Are we not family?"

"You blew up my chemistry lab," Fakir said bluntly.

His grandfather laughed. "You're not going to hold it against me, surely? However else could I have convinced you to meet with me and discuss this business as two civilized gentlemen?"

'_So he really did do it. There you have it Mytho, he's not even ashamed, and there'll be no sincere apology.'_ Narrowing his eyes, Fakir made as if to leave. "I only really came to get a confession. I'll consult the police and you can pay for damages,-"

"And then you shall continue to struggle financially," Drosselmeyer cut him off, leading him into a room that was much like the inside of a clock, and pouring him a cup of tea. "You're not fond of any particular type are you?" he asked offhandedly, "Jasmine? Green? Earl grey?" Fakir didn't comment, so he smiled and said. "Just as well, I haven't anything more than this ordinary tea at the moment; I'll have to ask Edel to fetch some more, I really will. Sit down won't you?"

Grudgingly, Fakir obliged him, but didn't touch the offered tea on principle. "Now," said his grandfather sitting comfortably across from him in a queer shaped rocking chair. "How is your sister?"

"Well, thank you." He was just waiting for Drosselmeyer to drop the act.

"I haven't met her yet; seems a pity, she is my granddaughter after all." He surveyed the young man over his cup. "I hear she's very pretty. Then of course there's that charming red-head she brought with her; how are you handling that? As I understand it," he continued, smirking faintly as he saw Fakir's immediately defensive expression, "You've been paying for far more than her food. I suppose she wouldn't know, but it can't be helping your little crisis. It's sweet of you, really, but if you expect to go on being so good to the pair of them, you need to realise how much you need my support."

Fists clenched on the arms of the chair, Fakir averted his gaze. Typical that his grandfather would nose into private affairs such as that; typical that he would be among those few who not only noticed the unusual fondness he had for Ahiru, but used it against him as well. "I am aware," he said bitterly through bared teeth, "That I need your money. And if your conditions were not so peculiar, I might have accepted."

"My conditions?" he repeated, "My dear boy I only want to offer opportunities to your students..."

"A particular division of them, I might add," Fakir snapped, "Why are you so interested in the writing division?"

Drosselmeyer sighed. "I am glad you're as sharp as all this Fakir, really, and quite proud. However it does become a terrible nuisance at time like this; I hope you understand that this is nothing but paranoia. I am a writer Fakir, why else would I be interested in the writing division? I merely want a little influence over that department, and for that I can give you any sum of money that pleases you. In fact, I will even pay for their education. I know you've been thinking that dear Rue needs a better one than that which the school supplied her with, and that you've tossed around the idea that Ahiru could do with one too."

There was no more to be said on that. Fakir instantly shot to his feet and stalked out of the room. _'Oh that didn't go too well,'_ Drosselmeyer thought, _'He's very sensitive. Glad I was never like that.'_

Fakir leant against the wall outside and groaned; it was too difficult to deal with this man; he knew every weakness, every private thought Fakir preferred to remain private. With that kind of manipulation, it was almost impossible for him to turn the offer down, however... he felt he had to resist on some level. _'I only thought about educating Ahiru _once_ in any case, last month when she said 'ain't' instead of 'have not'. Is it any wonder I can't stand him?'_ Sighing, he slumped on the floor. "This is going to be a long night."

[-]

Rue's fingers fidgeted anxiously with her hair. The clock was still ticking away and it was very dark outside. Freya, Hermia, Malen and a number of other worried maids stood in the entrance hall with her. "Time?" Rue snapped.

"10:15, Rue-sama," Hermia murmured nervously.

"This is terrible," Rue muttered to herself, and then louder, "She could be in trouble, it's not safe for a young woman alone at night, and Ahiru isn't ugly you know? She might have been attacked, she might be in pain, oh god what if she's dead?" she wailed.

"Rue-sama, don't say things like that; Ahiru will be fine, I'm sure of it."

Rue had returned from her trip to Lord Femio's in high spirits, and spent the day in that manner, thinking she was going to be happy with Mytho soon and Ahiru would have found somewhere to go. But evening had crept up on them, and soon it was dark, and there was no sign of Ahiru anywhere. Since then, Rue had been anxiously fiddling with anything in sight and pacing up and down by the door. Ten fifteen at night now, so Ahiru definitely should have been home. "Freya-san?" Rue said, turning to the young blonde, "Please, will you bring me Mytho's phone number from Fakir's study? I'll call him, and see if he can help us find Ahiru."

Freya bowed neatly and hurried up to the Mater's office, where she swiftly located his business address book and brought it down to Rue. Rue, whose hands were trembling too much to focus on the words, had Malen dial the number instead, and placed the phone to her ear. "Hello, Mytho?" she greeted, a relieved breath fluttering her lips when he picked up.

"_Rue?"_ he sounded surprised.

"Yes... listen, I'm really sorry to bother you at this late hour, only it's Ahiru... she's vanished, she hasn't been home since I left this morning, and Freya-san says that she had a bag full of her things with her. I was going to just wait, but as Fakir isn't here and it's gotten dangerous for a woman out at night, I wondered if—"

"_Rue, slow down. I'll go out and look for her, alright? She'll be fine. Never hesitate to call me when you need me,"_ he added, and hung up leaving Rue to resume distractedly pacing in front of the hall with her anxious maids.

[-]

As soon as he heard that Ahiru was missing, he was prepared to seek her out. There was no one who mattered more to Rue then that silly redhead, and frankly every time Mytho had met her, he himself had been charmed. So he had his coat on and was out the door within one minute of hanging up the phone (and this was with him not being able to locate the coat for all of thirty seconds... Mytho was pretty tidy).

It was very dark, and there wasn't anyone about on the streets, save a few night watchmen, the odd young couple, and a small boy who had been late lighting the lamps on his street. Tugging the coat closer to him in the chilly air, he swept out into the street, stopping one of the watchmen to ask if he'd seen her.

"She's about seventeen, shorter than me with red hair and freckles. She would have been wearing..." he paused, trying to think, "Well I'm not sure, but she's usually in the company of Lady Rue, have you seen her?" Even if Mytho had been a close friend of Ahiru's, he never have known what she was wearing, having no concept of fashion other than what Fakir had told him to wear since that's what everyone else was wearing. Poor boy.

The watchman thought very carefully. "My wife might have," he said helpfully, "she's a terrible gossip, mind I shouldn't say that, but in any case she was telling me earlier that she saw a redhead running about, towards the school, all on her own. Might have been her."

Mytho thanked him and turned in the direction of the school, confusion written all across his face. _'I know she came from the school, but why on Earth would she think to go back there? Rue tells me that Ahiru hated that place.'_ Running his fingers through his hair, he headed towards it anyway.

At this point, it should be made clear that the school was not a place respectable gentlemen went. If they did, they weren't the sort of man who could be seen in a positive light. The school, quite simply, sold women. For various reasons, young girls were taken there and raised for the purpose of being exactly what a man might want. Children could be given to the school, but the school only accepted and selected certain young girls; they said it was based on potential. Ahiru and Rue had been among such girls.

From there, they are taught their letters, none of their numbers, how to cook and clean, sew and be very quiet. They are given lessons in etiquette and charming men, and shown how to dance, sing, play music, draw and paint; anything that might make them more attractive. When a girl was deemed the right age and ready to be sold, she was put on display in the gardens out the front, where men gathered to watch them. They would use their talents to entertain the men. Upper class girls, like Rue, were girls so talented or beautiful that they were raised on a pedastal and more free to move around the school. Sometimes they were even allowed out of the school, while accompanied by a potential buyer.

Usually, they were sold to a man who wanted her as his wife. Fakir had bought Rue because he'd tracked her down as his sister, and had purchased Ahiru under special conditions; she wasn't on display yet, so he wasn't really allowed, however, she was what had been labelled a 'hopeless case' – a girl who would never go on display and would remain at the school, doing chores. Because she was a hopeless case, they were quite willing to sell, for a good price.

Women at the school, unless they were upper class, never laid eyes on a man until they went on display. Once bought, they were experiencing a whole new world, and nothing could prepare them for it.

The point of all this is, men didn't go to the school unless they were intending on buying a woman (which was seen, no matter how you looked at it, as slavery) or just to watch and laugh, which was naturally seen as a low thing to do. The school was also closed at night, however, so Mytho thought it might be safe to head over and check on things.

Arriving, he gawked at the state of the place; he had never been here, being a respectable gentleman, and never would have even mentioned it had Fakir not brought it up when he found out about his sister. It was clearly a prison.

The front garden greeted guests nicely enough, despite the huge heavily guarded gates you had to pass through, decorated for men to sit about and be entertained. The rest of the school was surrounded in metal fences, topped with pikes just like the gates on medieval castles, and within that was a second fence running right around of barbed wire, just in case. They were both too tall for most young women to climb. The building itself was designed like a church, which would have been very beautiful if the windows were not covered with bars, and the doors weren't chained shut.

The garden was separated from the rest of the school with more fences, hidden by trees, and behind the trees, hedges so that girls who were not on display couldn't see. What the conditions were in the rest of the grounds was unknown, for like the girls could not see beyond the fences due to the trees and hedges, the men could not see inside either.

Shuffling awkwardly, Mytho approached one of the guards on the outside. It was a woman, but he wasn't fooled; the women here who guarded the school were trained in numerous self-defence arts (even though, should they challenge him, Mytho could easily win). Clearing his throat, he said clearly and politely, "Ma'am... I realise you're closed, but a young woman I know came by this way, and I was wondering if she had come back here; you see, this is where she came from, originally."

The woman snorted, but flushed when she saw his face. "Well sir, that'd be a mad thing to do. Once a girl escapes here, she doesn't ever want to come back. You'd have to violate her something awful if she wanted to come back here."

Mytho smiled weakly, "Be that as it may, could I pass so I may find out? I can't wait until morning, she might be hurt somewhere else, and I can't delay."

She looked like she wanted to, but she shook her head anyway. "You'll have to come back tomorrow sir. That's just how it is." Seeing his features fall, she added kindly, "I don't think she'd be here though; we certainly didn't take anyone new in today, as far as I know, so good luck with finding her."

"Thank you," he mumbled half-heartedly, and skirted around the school, hoping to see some indication that Ahiru had been here; but other than a few abandoned buildings from the early days of the school, and a large empty garden, he found nothing, and mournfully returned to stalking the streets.

He had to admit defeat when sunlight began to filter through the inky black above him, and with a heavy heart, he arrived at Rue's to tell her he couldn't find her anywhere.

[-]

The deal was settled. Fakir pulled the horses to a stop outside the stables and ground his teeth together; a compromise, Drosselmeyer said, but it wasn't really and Fakir had been unable to negotiate things further in his favour. So already he wasn't in the best of moods.

When he entered the house and Rue came flying down the stairs, pinning him to the door and wailing into his shirt, he was understandably concerned and more than a little annoyed. With Rue's speech being indecipherable, he turned hopefully to Mytho who had just walked in. "What wrong with her?" he demanded.

(A/N: "She just found out she's pregnant. And it's not mine." XD sorry, what the hell? Just something Mytho might say under different circumstances...)

"Ahiru." Fakir stiffened faintly. "She's missing. She left yesterday and she didn't come back – I was out all night searching for her, but I didn't find anything." He _did_ look very tired.

Fakir frowned. She'd seemed quite happy enough when he saw her yesterday; her usual self. Did that mean someone had hurt her? Hurriedly, he pushed Rue into Mytho's arms and without another word tore back out the door. Mytho stuck his head out after him and demanded to know where he was going.

"I might have more luck now that it's daylight," he replied bluntly, and dashed out into the street.

Turning back to Rue, Mytho gently cupped her cheeks and wiped her tears away. "Come on, stop crying," he said softly, "Come with me; we'll help Fakir look. Don't worry, we'll find her."

Rue nodded and shuddered as she stopped her tears. _'I might be over-reacting,'_ she reminded herself, _'Maybe Ahiru just found somewhere to stay and didn't think to let me know. She might be back today to tell me the good news. That's right, I should stay positive.'_ On this note, she asked Hermia to keep an eye out for Ahiru, and followed Mytho out the door. If she had not been so worried for Ahiru, she might have felt pleased to know how many jealous women she passed that day, and how the men glared at Mytho.

They caught up to Fakir soon enough, he was standing in the middle of the street looking vaguely embarrassed. When Rue cleared her throat he faced her and mumbled, "Um, where would Ahiru go?"

"Well, I expect she was looking for somewhere to stay, so we might try at a few inns and such. I don't know that she has any friends other than me, so that really would be the only place for her to go."

Before they could stop him, Fakir was off again, and Rue despite the situation exchanged a look with Mytho and mouthed, 'I told you so'. This done, she and Mytho ran the opposite direction to Fakir, and entered the first inn they saw.

Rue looked around uncomfortably. "I don't see her."

"Well, she might be in one of the rooms," Mytho assured her, "I'll just go and ask." Approaching the bar, Mytho stood and waited impatiently (despite the serene smile he was wearing) and examined the other guests. He jumped, startled, and forgetting about Ahiru for a moment, slowly moved towards a young man who sat to the side, his to Mytho. Tilting his head, he was quite sure he wasn't mistaken, and tapped his shoulder. The man swivelled about and blinked in faint recognition upon seeing him.

"Mytho?" he asked curiously.

"Yes – I thought I was right – you are Autor aren't you?"

A smug grin plastered itself on the spectacle-wearing man, and he nodded. "It's been... quite some time," he noted, offering his hand. Mytho shook it, and seeing Rue hovering uncertainly by the door, gestured for her to come over to them. "Ah... who's this?" Autor asked.

"This is Rue – she's Fakir's sister."

He blinked, apparently admiring her. "Fakir's... sister? I wasn't aware that he had one..." he studied her with great interest and she became unnerved. "Regardless... a pleasure to meet you. What brings the two of you here in any case?" he continued, and with his attention switching back to Mytho, Rue breathed a small sigh of relief.

Mytho's expression transformed quickly from delighted to guilty. "Oh, yes... it's Rue's friend, Ahiru, a maid in the household. She's vanished, she went out yesterday to find somewhere to stay temporarily while we mend a situation and didn't return. Fakir, Rue and I are looking for her."

Autor looked amused at the notion. "Fakir is searching for a maid?" he said disbelievingly, "How wonderful. She must be something, then. What does she look like? Perhaps I can help."

As Mytho described her to him, his expression grew more and more intrigued, and Rue for some reason sincerely wished they hadn't enlisted his aid. "I've met this girl before," he said charmingly, "Not too long ago. I have an idea of where she might be, but it's merely an idea," he told them, "So I'll go and have a look shall I?"

At that moment, most inconveniently, Fakir slipped into the inn and stood at the counter. He was quick to notice Mytho and Rue, and then Autor, whereupon his features dissolved into anger. "What are you doing here?" he demanded.

"Helping your sister find her maid, apparently," Autor replied coolly, "I've met her before, and I believe I know where she is. So if you'll excuse me—"

Fakir held his hand up to stop him. "Why would you know any better than I where Ahiru is?" he growled.

"Fakir..." Mytho tried to protest but he was ignored.

"Jealous?" Autor taunted, "Don't be. After all, she's just a maid, why would you know anything about her?" Pausing, he smirked. "On the other hand, if you really think you can find her first, be my guest I'm not stopping anyone. But don't be out all night, will you? If you do that, then she'll be the one sitting at home waiting for you."

Fakir's eyes narrowed furiously. "I know what you're doing," he said clearly, and Autor raised an eyebrow. "And I'll play along," he added, "I am going to find her first." With that, he went back to the bar and summoned the innkeeper. "Did you lease out a room last night?" he began.

Autor shrugged and turned back to Rue and Mytho. "Well, now there's a challenge. Excuse me, I'll be back soon – why don't I come to your house?" he suggested, "I'll bring Ahiru with me, of course."

Rue, desperate to get Ahiru back no matter what, agreed, but as she made to leave she noticed Mytho was still staring in the direction Fakir had gone. "What's the matter?" she asked.

"Uh..." he frowned, "I just don't like that attitude... I've always gotten along well with Autor, but I know he and Fakir, mostly because they were so alike, always argued with each other. At some point I recall they had a rather large falling out and... it's just that I don't like seeing Fakir go back to that, now of all times," he explained.

As they left, Rue wondered who Autor was, and how he knew Fakir and Mytho; it was an odd feeling, not knowing anything about someone who called themself your brother. However, Rue didn't ask, now wasn't the time.

[-]

The door creaked and her head snapped up, innocent blue gaze locked on the figure in the doorway. "Good afternoon, Duck," he greeted.

A smile dared to flit across her face. "I've been away a long time..." he hadn't moved and she fidgeted uncomfortably. "Uhm, you don't seem all that surprised to see me here again."

He shrugged, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him. Pale sunlight filtered into the room through the murky windows. "I don't really care." He glanced at her. "That said, I was investigating you a few days ago. Seemed like you were free. I'm mildly curious as to why you're back," he admitted.

"Oh that... they were really nice to me," she said, thinking back on Rue and Fakir's kindness, "So that's why I left; I was a burden."

"I'll bet."

"Hey!"

The man sat down at the piano and brushed his fingers along the keys. "Oh it's true though," he said casually, "You're a nuisance. Extremely loud and annoying, clumsy, useless really. I can't imagine anyone would want you around; not because you're a bad person, as I say, just because you're irritating."

Ahiru found her eyes watering; he was being crueller than he used to be, or at least as she remembered him being. The days when she would crawl through the garden, having scrambled into the right position to leap from the roof (a terrifying feat, every time) and then tugging the wooden door aside to scuffle through the dark hole, just for that contact with the outside world, just to see this man because he was the only man she'd ever seen (or was likely to see) and because he was... from outside. She could remember those days, and he'd never been a nice person, had always spoken his mind, but at the same time, he always seemed to be helpful. When she'd had a bad day and she talked with him about it, in his own nasty way, he ended up saying things which cheered her up.

There wasn't anyone else like him. She was kind of glad to see him. But she wasn't used to the sharp tongue anymore; despite Fakir, who in comparison had been actually kind of nice. "W-well... that's true I suppose..."

"Having said that," he interrupted her, beginning to play, "They looked pretty worried." She looked up sharply, eyeing him with confusion. "The people you were with," he added, "Fakir and his charming sister. They're all running about out there, with Mytho-san, asking everyone about you. Apparently Mytho-san was up all night." He surveyed her with something akin to a smile. "For someone so annoying, you've sure made an impression on them."

She gaped, eyes still watering, but out of happiness now. "Really? I didn't mean to worry them... I just thought it would be easier on them if I wasn't around. I remembered this place, and since it was abandoned, I thought I could stay here."

"You can't though," he cut her off, eyes on the keys as he continued to play, "It's not abandoned. Actually, I bought it. I haven't fixed it up because I like it like this, but it's still private property now. You can't stay here. You'll just have to go back."

Surprised as she was, she didn't speak, just sitting in the corner, beside the familiar poorly crafted door, listening to him play. After a while, she ventured, "What song is this?"

Voice dripping with the familiar disdain, he replied, "Oh come now, surely you've been properly educated _now_? No?" he sighed, "It's not a 'song' in any case, it's a piece of music. It's Tchaikovsky – The Nutcracker, Dance of the Sugarplum fairy. Good enough?"

She smiled. "It's pretty."

"Yes. But it would be better if I had all the instruments, or if the ballet was being done to it."

Her eyes widened, allowing an unshed tear to fall. Hastily she wiped them away and grinned. "I've heard it before!" she exclaimed happily, "Mytho-sama dances to it. Rue does ballet, and she was so thrilled to know Mytho-sama does ballet as well, she asked him to dance for us. Apparently Fakir dabbles in it as well."

"Oh?" he sounded interested, which was a rare thing in her experience. "I hadn't thought it would interest him. But then, if Mytho asked him to I suppose he wouldn't have refused..." He froze playing, and stood up abruptly. "You really can't stay here you know." They both looked out the window. "It's getting late though, and I wouldn't be any kind of gentleman if I didn't offer to take you home. Come on, get your things together, I'll take you back."

Smiling with genuine warmth, she rose, little pack clasped in her hands, and followed him out the door. He hadn't lied about owning the place, so far as she could tell, because he produced a key and locked the door, because "... I want to keep little run away maids out from now on." She proceeded to walk ahead of him, but he said that wasn't any way to behave and dragged her back to walk beside him.

"So, after all this, shouldn't you finally tell me your name?" she said to break the uneasy silence. People on the streets were shooting them curious looks and one or two pointed to her, whispering that she matched the description Fakir-san or Rue-san or Mytho-san had given.

He shook his head. "I'm sure you'll find out, but I don't feel obligated to tell you, when you lied about yours."

She flushed recalling how she'd told him her name was 'Duck', just a translation of her actual name. "At least I gave you a name to call me by – and it wasn't a complete lie," she mumbled defensively.

"Alright, I'll give you that."

The rest of the journey was silent, and when they finally reached Fakir's house, Ahiru studied him with a befuddled expression. "Say, do you know Fakir-sama and Rue? Only you called them by name, and I never told you where I live..." At that moment, the door swung open, and Ahiru was completely suffocated by a crushing hug. Wheezing, she managed to wriggle free, and Rue stood before her, deadly glare on her face that made sure Ahiru had no doubts as to her relatives...

"Ahiru!" she cried out, "Where were you? No, what were you thinking? Do you have any idea how...?" she seemed unable to properly express her anger, so she resorted to once again showing her relief by squeezing the red head and then shaking her companion's hand vigorously. "Thank you, thank you," she kept saying.

Mytho stepped out as well and Ahiru apologised to having kept him up with no sleep, as was immediately apparent. He was quick to forgive her, but leant against the door frame exhaustedly.

The final player looked absolutely livid. He stalked out of the house and gripped her shoulders so tightly she was sure she couldn't feel them anymore. "You..." he shook her, "You idiot!"

"Huh?"

"What did you run away for? Idiot, idiot, idiot!" he scolded her. She just blinked in shock; she'd expected Rue to be the most reprimanding, not Fakir, never him. Assuming he just angry at the trouble she'd caused, she started to apologise, but stopped when he shook her again. Here, she realised his arms were shaking.

"F-fakir-sama?"

"Moron," he whispered, "Don't ever do it again."

Her face melted into a smile. "Oh," she said, understanding, "You were... worried about me." He glared at her, but she didn't feel upset with him for doing so. "Then I'm sorry... I won't do it again. I promise."

He released her, facing the pianist now. "How did you know where she'd be, Autor?"

Ahiru squeaked; so they did know each other. Autor?

"Oh that," he said, "We go way back, eh Duck?"

Fakir clenched his fists and returned to the warmth of the house. "Uhm..." Rue said uneasily, "Why don't we all go in? Autor-san, would you like to spend the night? It's quite late after all..."

"No way!" Fakir yelled from inside, but Rue only rolled her eyes and invited him in anyway. Ahiru was still struggling to get her head around this familiarity they all seemed to share. Autor. Autor was his name. Fakir was sitting in the living room, and as grateful as Ahiru was to 'Autor', she left Mytho and Rue, and sat by the fire near Fakir. "What do you want?" he snarled.

"Nothing. I'm just cold."

Fakir narrowed his eyes, but only leant back in the chair and closed them again. What was the point in scolding her? He'd never admit it aloud but he was just bloody glad she was safe. So what if Autor had known her better? That shouldn't even matter. Ahiru was as Autor had said, just a maid.

'_So then... why _does_ it matter so much?'_ He opened his eyes again and sat bolt upright when he saw she'd fallen asleep. _'That... that...'_ he sighed. "Moron."

[-]

**A/N:** Gah! Sappy! Besides, towards the end I felt I got lazier... maybe I didn't, but I felt like I did. But that can't be helped, I don't want to write it again, and I'm tired, my time is limited, my fingers are freezing and I have to work on assignments. Which is the true purpose of this: this is my last update for like... a week, maybe two, maybe even three. It's just that I have a lot of homework and assignments and study to do before the end of this term, so I gotta get stuck into it. So for now this'll take a back seat; but don't worry, I _fully_ intend on coming soon... and I tried not to make a cliffhanger.

Well anyway, was it any good? Please review and let me know. Identity of pianist revealed! Purpose still secret... Ooh, I really wanna keep writing and put up the next chapter, but ah well... hope you liked!

-Kura

Ps: oh my god, long!


End file.
